EEOC Sued KLD Labs for Pregnancy Discrimination

NEW YORK — A Huntington Station, N.Y., engineering company violated federal law by rescinding an offer of employment to a job applicant because of her pregnancy, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.

According to the EEOC’s suit, in July 2008 a job applicant using a staffing firm accepted an offer from KLD Labs for an administrative assistant position. When the woman informed KLD Labs that she was three months pregnant, KLD Labs called the staffing firm to rescind the employment offer -- solely because the woman was pregnant. Even after the staffing firm alerted KLD Labs that it is unlawful to reject someone for this reason, KLD Labs insisted upon rejecting her because she was pregnant and selected another candidate who was not.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The EEOC filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (10-CV-4449) after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement out of court.

“Protecting job applicants from blatant sex discrimination, such as this, is a priority for the EEOC,” said Spencer H. Lewis, district director of the New York District Office, which has jurisdiction over Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and portions of New Jersey. “Job applicants who are pregnant must not face additional hurdles in an already tough job market.”

Adela Santos, senior trial attorney in the New York District Office, added, “Pregnant women have a right to participate in the workforce. KLD Labs thought this woman was qualified for the position – until it found out she was pregnant. The EEOC will continue to fight this form of unacceptable and unlawful discrimination.”

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.